Slitting tool



April 21, 1931. w. WESTFALL 1,

SLITTING TOOL Filed July 24, 1929 '2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m lg] War/am INVENTOR.

. BY 2Q? A TTORNE Y.

April 21, 1931.

L. W. WESTFALL SLI'ITING TOOL Filed July 24. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ws z aw,

JNI 'FNTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

Jay 74 Patented Apr. 21,1931

PATENT OFFICE.

LOT W. WEST-FALL OF AKRON, OHIO SLITTING roor.

Application filed my a4, 1929. Serial No. 880,703.

This invention relates to slitting tools, and has more particular reference to an improved device for longitudinally slittin the sheath or outer covering of electric ca les having a plurality of separately insulated conductor wires.

Electric cables are made of two or more conductor wires, separatel insulated and surrounded by a non-meta ic covering, and

when it is necessary to splice the wires or connect them to terminals, the outer covering must be slit.

The object of this invention is to provide a highly. eflicienttool by means of which the outer coverin of such a cable may be readily slit without amaging the insulation of the individual wires, and wherein the tool is of simple and durable construction and'capable of economical manufacture.

go The invention consists in the novel construction hereinafter more fully described anil claimed. d

n t e accompanyin rawingsz' Figure 1 is a plan v%ew of a tool embod :5 ing the present mvention,and showing t 0 tool in use for slitting the covering of a cable.

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a central vertical longitudinal section of the same.

Figure 4 is a vlew 51111118.! to Figure 3 with the blade open for using the tool asan ordiv nary kmfe.

Fi re 5 is an end elevation looking toward theleft of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a transverse section on line 6-6 of Figure 2..

Figure 7 is a transverse section on hne 77 of Figure 4; and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the blade holding ring.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, the present tool consists of a cylindrical body 5 having an open cylindrical axial bore of a size slightly larger than the cross-section of the cable 6 whose outer covering is to be slit. The body 5 is in one piece and divided long1- tudinally at the top to provide a longitudinal slot 7. A pair of opposed ears 8 are struck 60 outwardly from one end portion of the body 5 at opposite sides of the slot 7, and connectin these ears is a pivot bolt or pin 9. A knife blade 10 is pivoted at one end on the pm 9 and arranged to swing inwardly through the slot 7. This knife blade em bodies a plate having an inwardly projecting sharpened extension at its free end forming a slitting portion 11. The blade is also provided w1t a binding strip 12 on the back edge thereof to permit manual pressure thereon without danger of injury to the user. The blade 10 has an opening 13 intermediate its ends through which loosely extends a ring 14 that is rotatabl fitted in a circumferential groove 15 of; t e body 5. The diameter of theopening 13 is much greater than the cross-sectional size of the ring 14, thus per- .mitting the knife to have limited swinging movement -'ust sufiicient to allow withdrawal of the bla ,e 11 from the cable and to limitthe de thof cut when the knife is pressed inwa y. This prevents damage to the insulation of the conductor wires, and injury to the user by contact with blade 11 is made impossible because the knife cannot accidentally swing entirely. out of the slot 7 As shown in Figures 2 and 8, the ring 14 is of split form so as to present a space 16 between its ends. By turning the ring 14.- to register the space 16 with the blade 10, said ring may be disengaged from the opening 13 so as to release the lade 10 and permit the latter to be swung to an open position outwardly of and coextensive with the body 5 as shown in Figure 4. When in this position, the back of the blade 10 at its inner end abuts the inner face of the body 5 opposite the-slot 7 to limit the opening movement of and steady the blade. To releasably hold the blade open, it is provided with a laterally pressed teat 17 j ad] acent the pivot pin 9 adapted to snap past one edge of t e body 5at the slot 7 just prior to engagement of the back edge of the lade with the inner face of the body. The blade 10 has its longitudinal edge sharpened as at 18. a

In using the tool for slittin as shown in Figures 1 to 3 and 5 to 6, the ca leis inserted through the body 5,-after which the blade 10 is pressed inwardly to cause the blade 11 toierce the covering of the cable. While the blade is held in this position, the tool is pulled relative to the cable and the covering of the latter is thereby slit on a straight ine between the insulated wires. To bare the wires for making connections, the blade is opened as shown in Figure 4, and the tool is used in the same manner as a pocket knife to strip the insulation from the wires.

What I claim is: I

1. A slitting tool of the character de scribed comprising a hollow o n-ended body throu h which a cable may e passed, said body aving a longitudinal slot, and a knife pivoted at one end to one end of the body and movable through said slot,said knife having an inwardly projecting slitting portion at its other free end, and means to limit swinging movement of said blade to prevent withdrawal thereof outside the body and to limit the depth of cut of said slitting portion, said blade having an opening, and said means comprising a ring on the body loosely passing throu h said opening.

2. slitting tool of the character described comprising a hollow open-ended body throu h which a cable may be passed, said body aving a longitudinal slot, and a knife pivoted at one end to one end of the body and movable through said slot, said knife having an inwardly projecting slitting portion at its other free end, and means to limit swinging movement of said blade to prevent withdrawal thereof outside the body and to limit the depth of cut of said slitting portion, said blade havin an opening, and said means comprising a mpg on the body loosely passing through said opening, said ring being split and rotatably fitted on the body whereby the space between its ends may be registered with t e blade to permit 0' emng of the latter to a position out of an body.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

LOY W. WESTFALL.

coextensive with the 

